The
Republic of Korea (ROK or South Korea) Navy unveiled a new naval base
on the southern resort island of Jeju. Jeju island is strategically
located in a sea passage connecting the East China Sea and the Sea of
Japan (East Sea) in the northwest Pacific Ocean. The 7,600-ton
KDX-III Aegis DestroyerYulgok Yi arrived on December
22 to the "Jeju civil-military sea port base" (the official
designation of the base) ahead of its official launch scheduled for
January.

A KDX-III Destroyer is set to be permanently homeported
to the new base whihc spans nearly 500,000 square meters with docks
running some 5 kilometers. The dual-use base is capable of simultaneously
docking up to 20 combat ships and two of the biggest cruise ships, larger
than 150,000 tons. With the relocations, Jeju will host more than 3,000
Navy troops as well as the Submarine Force Command. The base could see
more destroyers in the future as South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff(
JCS) decided in 2013 to increase the number of its Aegis destroyers
from the current three to six by 2027 to strengthen its maritime combat
capabilities

The ROK Navy stressed the new base will dramatically enhance the Navy's
ability to counter North Korea's potential provocations at the sea borders
both in the west and the east. The new naval compound also has in mind
the mission to defend Ieo Island, known as Socotra Rock, a strategically
important South Korean submerged rock located nearly 300 km southwest
of Jeju. China has previously laid claims to the resource-rich rock,
which South Korea controls with the presence of its maritime research
center there.

Partially designed by the South Korean Ministry of National Defense,
built by Hyundai Heavy Industries and Daewoo Shipbuilding & Marine
Engineering, the Sejong the Great class Destroyers are the largest surface
combatants in the Republic of Korea Navy. The 3 vessels of the class
were built as part of the KDX-III project to strengthen ROK Navy defense
against North Korea and other emerging threats as well as provide the
ROK Navy with true blue water, ocean going capabilities.